We propose a new endeavor for Kingsborough Community College (KCC) and Brooklyn College (BC), specifically between the Biological Sciences Department and Community Health program at KCC and the Health and Nutrition Sciences Department at BC. They will create a Bridge to the Baccalaureate program that has been named "The Brooklyn Bridge". The primary goal of the Brooklyn Bridge program is to increase the number of minority nutrition scientists who will engage in biomedical research. Students will be exposed to the discipline of nutrition science, and to researchers who are actively involved in the field, and will participate in hands-on research. An additional goal of the program is to facilitate student transfer to BC with junior status upon completion at KCC. The program will establish a new Nutrition concentration at the Associate Degree level at KCC. Through development of an articulation agreement, it will foster a direct transfer to the baccalaureate degree in health and nutrition science at BC. The transfer process will be made more successful by a combination of intensive academic advisement, mentoring and student support services. As a third priority, students will develop technological and communication skills that will enhance their abilities as they pursue graduate training as nutrition scientists. In the program, KCC and BC will increase the use of computer and Internet technology for research presentations, communication and information distribution among faculty and students. In all aspects, the program will improve collaboration and cooperation between the two-year (KCC) and four-year (BC) faculty. The Brooklyn Bridge program focuses on nutrition because the Surgeon General's report, Healthy People 2010, emphasizes the importance of nutrition in eliminating health disparities through the prevention and management of leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The program represents an opportunity to prepare minority students to fill a vital gap in research. Their skills will benefit a segment of the population disproportionately affected by diseases that have aspects of nutrition as primary risk factors. With increased numbers of nutrition science researchers who are sensitive to the needs of the ethnic minorities in our society, health promotion programs can be developed to prevent or control diseases that are major killers such as diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and obesity.